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What happens if TB has been detected in your herd

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If TB has been detected in your herd, your case will be referred to AHVLA who will arrange a visit to your premises by a Veterinary Officer or Inspector. At this visit you will be advised of how the breakdown will be managed and what action you need to take.

Movement restrictions, preventing cattle from moving off your premises, will be imposed if one of the following circumstances applies:

  • At least one animal in the herd has failed an approved diagnostic test for TB
  • The carcass of an animal from the herd has been reported as having lesions which are suspicious of TB when inspected by the Food Standards Agency in a slaughterhouse
  • Inconclusive reactors have been found in a herd which has had a confirmed cases of TB within the last three years
  • An animal in the herd as been identified as a reactor after being moved to another herd and it has not been possible to rule out the risk that the infection came from within the source herd.

Information leaflet: What happens if bovine tuberculosis has been detected in your herd? (PDF 1MB)

What happens in bovine tuberculosis has been detected in your herd? (Wales) (PDF 1.54KB)

Certain movements off restricted premises may be allowed, but only under a licence from your local AHVLA Office. Further details are available in our movement pages.

Reactor Animals

A reactor is an animal that has failed (or 'reacted' to) an approved test for bovine TB. Reactors are also those animals that have inconclusive test results on two consecutive occasions.

Reactor cattle should be considered as presenting a danger of infection to the rest of your herd and must be immediately isolated until AHVLA can arrange for their removal to slaughter.

Milk from reactor animals must not be used for human consumption and must be withheld from the bulk tank.

Information leaflet: Reactor animals (PDF 773KB)

Inconclusive reactors

An inconclusive reactor (IR) is an animal which has given readings to the tuberculin skin test between the clear (pass) and reactor (fail) ranges. These IRs are important because:

  • There is some uncertainty as to the disease status of IRs and therefore they must be re-tested
  • Occasionally, the presence of other diseases, or exposure to bacteria similar to M. bovis, can cause a positive test reaction, even if there is no TB infection.

If an animal has been classed as a IR, it is important that it is immediately isolated from the rest of the herd to reduce the risk of spreading TB to other cattle.

Milk from inconclusive reactor animals must not be used for human consumption and must be withheld from the bulk tank.

Information leaflet: Inconclusive reactors (PDF 1.09MB)

Valuation, slaughter and compensation

Animals that have been classified as reactors will be compulsorily removed from a herd and slaughtered along with any animals that are classified for removal as direct contacts.

Compensation is payable for affected animals which comply with the requirements of the Cattle Identification Regulations for the country on which the animal is located.

From 1 July 2012, the Cattle Compensation (England) Order 2012 and The Individual Ascertainment of Value (England) Order 2012, will replace The Cattle Compensation (England) Order 2006 and the Individual Ascertainment of Value (England) Order 2005.  The following changes will come into effect.   

  • Compensation paid for reactor cattle from herds with significantly overdue TB tests (61 days or more) will be reduced. 
  • New compensation categories young pedigree beef animals (0-6 months) and dairy calved animals will be split into two age bands: up to 7 years and over 7 years
  • Pedigree compensation rates
  • Compensation will only be payable for cattle with correct and legally required ID documentation

Further information about these changes can be found on the Defra website.

Information leaflet: Valuation, slaughter and compensation (PDF 1.63MB).

Movements on and off restricted premises

There will be circumstances when you will need to move cattle either on to or off your premises, e.g. for management or breeding purposes, slaughter, sale, or contract rearing.

Information leaflet: Movements on and off restricted premises (PDF 1.09MB)

For further information see moving your cattle.

What further testing will be required?

If bTB is confirmed, your herd will be placed under a TB2 restriction notice meaning that you cannot move cattle on to or off your premises except under licence. To remove these restrictions, it has to be demonstrated that your herd is free from TB infection and this can only be done by further TB testing of your herd.

Information leaflet: What further testing will be required? (PDF 1.02MB)

How to manage your milk quota

During movement restrictions on your herd during a TB breakdown, you may need to consider how you will manage your milk quotas. The information leaflet below offers guidance on the options available to you. However, for more detailed advice consult the relevant scheme rules or to contact the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) for the latest information on milk quotas.

Information leaflet: How to manage your milk quota (PDF 879KB)

Cleansing and disinfection of premises

Cleansing and disinfection (C&D) is an important disease control measure. Under certain conditions M. bovis can survive in the environment for a long time, so it is good practice, and will be a requirement under notice served by AHVLA, to cleanse and disinfect thoroughly all buildings where reactor cattle have been kept.

Adhering to the guidance in the attached information leaflet may help reduce the risk of infection spreading to other cattle or to other susceptible animals on your farm.

Information leaflet: Cleansing and disinfection (PDF 1.04MB)

Wales

In Wales the method of valuing an animal slaughtered as a result of bovine TB will be revised to reflect any poor practice and non-compliance with bovine TB testing requirements on the part of the cattle keeper. This can include, for example:

  • failing to test on time
  • engagement in illegal activities – e.g. moving cattle onto holding whilst under restriction, fraudulent use of ear tags etc
  • not complying with a Veterinary Improvement Notice issued by an AHVLA Veterinary Inspector

The Tuberculosis (Wales) Order 2010 introduced the requirement for cattle keepers to present animals for removal to slaughter, as well as for testing and valuation.

If you have any questions regarding the calculation of compensation in Wales contact the Welsh Government TB Helpline on 0800 5283300.

Page last modified: 9 May, 2012